Panayam kay Dir. Euvimil Nina Asuncion ng Department of Finance ukol sa excess funds ng PhilHealth na gagamitin sa health infrastructure at education program ng pamahalaan
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00:00We will discuss the transfer and utilization of excess funds of PhilHealth
00:05with Director Yuvmil Nina R. Asuncion of the Department of Finance.
00:10Director Asuncion, good afternoon and welcome to the new Philippines.
00:14Good afternoon, Asek Weng and Nina, hello.
00:17First of all, please explain to our countrymen the reason for the transfer of excess funds
00:23of PhilHealth Insurance Corporation or PhilHealth in the National Treasury
00:27and how big of a help this is to other health programs and development of the government.
00:32Okay, so basically what we did here is the transfer of excess funds
00:37is in accordance with the provisions of our General Appropriations Act of 2024.
00:43This is the law that was passed by the Congress to spread our budget for the year.
00:53So the provision under the General Appropriations Act is that,
00:58let's see if our GOCCs have unused funds,
01:04and if they have unused funds, let's return it to our general fund
01:10and spend it on programs and projects that are also listed in the General Appropriations Act.
01:16So ma'am, how big is this so-called sleeping funds,
01:22the excess funds of PhilHealth,
01:25and are the members assured that this will not affect their benefits and contributions?
01:33So the unused funds in PhilHealth is around Php 89.9 billion.
01:39We made it clear that this is from the subsidy of the national government
01:44and we will not receive funds from the contribution of our members.
01:51If you say it's a subsidy from the government,
01:55it has nothing to do with people like us who fall under PhilHealth?
01:59Yes, we are the ones who fall under PhilHealth.
02:01We will not be affected because these are funds that are subsidies from the government.
02:09From where?
02:11Okay, there are a number of sources for the subsidy,
02:14but mostly it would be from the syntax law and other sources.
02:20So ma'am, it was also mentioned in a report that the additional Php 20 billion transferred fund
02:27from the excess funds of PhilHealth will be used for health infrastructure and education programs.
02:32What is the potential impact of this, especially for our countrymen?
02:36Okay, so there are a number of items that will be funded,
02:41unused funds from PhilHealth and actually from PBIC as well.
02:47This includes our expenses for the health worker allowance that we gave during the pandemic.
02:55This also includes the additional Php 40 billion salary increase for government employees.
03:02Aside from that, we are also supporting foreign-assisted projects of the government.
03:08This includes projects on nutrition.
03:12We are trying to fight malnutrition, especially in our provinces.
03:17We also have a program on technical and vocational skills development.
03:22In agriculture, we also have the Philippine Rural Development Program.
03:27This is one of the programs that we are supporting.
03:30With that program, we plan on increasing the income of our farmers by 30 percent.
03:36This will help with infrastructure and provide clean water to our rural areas.
03:43So there are a lot of things you can do.
03:45Yes, there are a lot.
03:46On infrastructure as well, especially flood control.
03:49This is a big issue right now because of the rain.
03:52We have flood control projects in Metro Manila.
03:57Aside from that, our river basins up north in Luzon and Mindanao as well.
04:03So for our countrymen to understand better,
04:07please explain that the Php 89.9 billion sleeping funds that will go back to the DOF,
04:15what is that?
04:16It will not be given completely.
04:21Yes.
04:22In chances.
04:24Sure, you already received it or it was already remitted.
04:27Okay.
04:28So per clarification with our office, we have already received an additional Php 10 billion.
04:33It was remitted to us yesterday.
04:35So a total of Php 30 billion has been remitted to the Bureau of the Treasury.
04:41So not the entire Php 80 billion.
04:43Why is that?
04:44Of course, we have to see how PhilHealth manages their financials.
04:50So they ask for tranches to remit the funds to the BDR.
04:58Is there a chance that they will not remit all or that PhilHealth will need it for other things?
05:05At this point in time, I think we are on track.
05:09They will also follow the provisions of the General Appropriations Act because this is a standing law.
05:16As for the tranching, I think next month they will remit and then the next month after that.
05:24I think the only way that this can be stopped is, you know, if there is a Supreme Court case,
05:30if they issue a TRO, that's the time.
05:34Of course, we have to heed that TRO.
05:36I see.
05:37Okay.
05:38So ma'am, this year, how big will PhilHealth's fund be?
05:42And is this enough for the additional benefits and coverage for its members?
05:47Okay.
05:48So even if we take, even if we get the Php 89.9 billion,
05:53there will still be Php 550 billion left in PhilHealth's fund.
05:58So this is enough to meet the increase in benefits for our members, direct and indirect.
06:05And of course, this includes funds for two to three years.
06:11The amount is quite large.
06:13Php 550 billion, right?
06:15Yes.
06:16So my question is, of course, we are falling.
06:18Why was the contribution of PhilHealth members increased?
06:22People said, why do you need to increase it?
06:25The PhilHealth fund is already too much.
06:28If possible, don't.
06:29Yes.
06:30So at the, I think, the early part of the year,
06:33rules were issued by PhilHealth to increase our premium payments.
06:39Of course, the hope is that they did not increase,
06:43but that is the provision under their UHC law.
06:47So it is written there that every year, sorry, every so often,
06:53there is a number of years, they should adjust their premiums.
06:57But the hospitals are able to pay,
06:59because there was a problem, right?
07:01Other hospitals are saying that they have been unable to pay for a long time.
07:05Would you know, if you monitor, that, because the excess funds are too large,
07:10if in this excess funds, the debts to the hospitals have been reduced?
07:15We heard in the Senate a few weeks ago,
07:19and then the commitment of PhilHealth is that they will be able to answer for all the claims,
07:24whether this be from the hospitals or from the doctors,
07:27because the doctors are also included in the payment.
07:31Okay.
07:32Can you tell us, ma'am, what are the key factors,
07:35why is the PhilHealth fund so large?
07:40Can you imagine, it is too much.
07:42Yes.
07:43And they are able to pay, right?
07:46Our benefit package has increased, right?
07:49Like breast cancer has increased, even dialysis.
07:52Yes.
07:53And other things have increased.
07:54Money in claims.
07:55Yes.
07:56Answering the claims, yes.
07:57So, basically, what we saw in the data, in the financial statement of PhilHealth,
08:04we saw that their earnings increased during the pandemic.
08:07The explanation given to us was that during the pandemic,
08:11they did not spend much,
08:14because it was the national government that funded our vaccines,
08:19PPEs, hospitals.
08:23So, it was the national government paying for the pandemic response at that time.
08:28So, I'm curious, given that amount, excess funds,
08:31is it possible to at least increase the percentage that PhilHealth will answer for the patient's payment?
08:38That's what the president of his area said.
08:41They said they will increase it by 30%.
08:44This year, the benefits that we will get from PhilHealth.
08:48Yes, because if our contribution increases,
08:50the benefits that we will get from them should also increase.
08:53Yes.
08:54Because sometimes, it's just a few percent.
08:56Oh, it decreased.
08:58It's like nothing.
09:00Because sometimes, that's our dream,
09:04for our PhilHealth packages to increase,
09:08and to include preventive medicine as well.
09:11Yes.
09:12Right?
09:13Those check-ups.
09:14Because you need to go to the hospital first,
09:16or you need to be confined first,
09:18before you can get it.
09:20Yes.
09:21I think that is one of the things that our Secretary-Recto is saying,
09:26that we should expand the benefits,
09:31more than the premium payments.
09:34We should prefer to expand them further,
09:38and to also include preventive,
09:40so that you don't need to go to the hospital
09:43at the onset.
09:45You already have labs,
09:46we can already see the difference,
09:49and our citizens can address these diseases
09:52at the earliest possible stage.
09:54Let me go back to the first Php20 billion that you remitted,
09:58which was for our health emergency allowances,
10:02the frontliners.
10:03So, what are the details of this?
10:05When will this be given to them?
10:07According to the DBM, this has already been given.
10:10Okay.
10:11So, basically, during the pandemic,
10:16the government promised to give a health emergency allowance
10:19to our healthcare and non-healthcare workers.
10:23With that, there is still Php27.5 billion left that needs to be paid.
10:29So, when PhilHealth remitted,
10:32we already paid that Php27.5 billion,
10:36with the help of the first Php20 billion
10:38that PhilHealth gave to the national government.
10:41Okay, that's good.
10:43Okay, ma'am.
10:44Just message our countrymen,
10:46especially those who are still hesitating
10:49or have questions about their contributions.
10:51And also the doctors,
10:53because the doctors are really against it.
10:56Yes.
10:57We do understand the concern.
11:00To the Department of Finance,
11:02health is very important,
11:04and we have been partners with actually the same people
11:07in passing legislation,
11:09like our syntax laws,
11:11vape law, alcohol syntax, and all.
11:14At the end of the day, we need to look at this.
11:17There is money that is not being used,
11:21and we need to use it for government programs.
11:27If not, we earn opportunity costs,
11:31and we will also have additional interest
11:33if we continue to borrow money.
11:35We have money left in our GOCCs.
11:39Thank you very much.
11:41Okay, thank you very much,
11:42Sen. Oras, Director.
11:43You've been mailed Nina R. Asuncion,
11:45of the Department of Finance.